


Not All Gifts are Golden

by Kudalyn



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Blindshipping, M/M, Puzzleshipping, also based off Ancient Egypt and other civilizations around then ok, its a mess of an au ok its got tons of stuff, monsterfolk au, sorta - Freeform, taurs and harpies and lots of other stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 10:17:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10488591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kudalyn/pseuds/Kudalyn
Summary: Atem, Pharaoh of the Khemetic lands, receives a wonderful, rare gift from a visiting caravan - an exotic pet.This pet proves to be much more than it seems, however. Atem is going to learn this quite quickly.Monsterfolk au, something I've been picking away at - as I always seem to do with all my projects. Oneshot for now till I get another chapter done for sure.





	

It was proving to be yet another long, tedious day.

At least, that’s what Atem’s schedule promised as he padded down the hallway leading to the court chamber. His paws were all but silent on the stone, the jewellry dripping from his form making more noise than his footsteps.

His shadow was large against the adjacent wall, outlining his majestic form. Four sturdy, feline legs carried his weight while his tail flicked out behind him mirroring each step. His dark, smooth skin melted into golden fur at his hips, covered by a beaded sash.

Atem, Pharaoh of the Khemetic lands, the kingdom of sand and gold, adjusted his crown once more as he approached his private doors to the court chamber. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to center himself, before motioning to the servants stationed at either side of the door.

They pulled it open, and Atem glided in, his sanguine gaze taking in the attendance subtly. It seemed everyone that needed to be there was there - good. That promised at least a few less headaches today.

He flopped into his throne with a quiet groan, the stone beneath him hard but at least warmed from the sun that had poured in the high slitted windows that morning.

A servant bustled forward and tucked a few lush pillows around him, one gratefully placed against his side as he leaned against the armrest.

He allowed himself one last stretch, his massive paws splaying out before he settled in for the long haul, propping his head up on a hand under his jaw.

“By decree of the Pharaoh, I announce that the court is now in session.” he said, voice clear and booming through the court hall, bouncing off the decorated pillars and walls.

His people bowed at once. His court sat along the inner ring of the court hall, lower chests puffed out while their tails curled statuesque around their hinds. The rest of the members, including guards and servants, were clustered in the shadows behind the pillars, mostly out of sight but close by if needed.

The first few hearings of the day were for minimal things - updates on his kingdom, news from bordering countries, a rundown of what he was to expect in court today.

He barely held in a groan when it was announced the Asiatics caravan had finally arrived - they’d been pestering for an audience with the Pharaoh through letters if only to renegotiate trade agreements. Atem couldn’t hold off the meeting any longer, if only to spare himself from boredom. The Asiatic caravans were always the most long-winded, despite their unique wares.

A handful of hearings and negotiations later, and the hall doors were heaved open for the Asiatic caravan to pour through.

Colorful fabrics, music and brightly dressed women lead the procession, splitting to let the bulk of the caravan squeeze through the doors. Boxes and chests were piled up high on the wagon, men now flowing around it to begin laying out goods for display. There were multiple species in this caravan, most bipedals native to the Asiatics but a few obviously from other countries.

A weasel hopped down from the wagon, dressed flamboyantly in layers of silk. A wide smile was plastered on his sharp face, thin tail barely peeking out from the fabric trailing behind him.

“My most illustrious Pharaoh! Thank you so much for allowing myself and my men to enter your beautiful country. I can assure you, we come bearing gifts the like you have never seen, quality that of the gods themselves!” His voice was high pitched, and he kept bowing himself deeply before Atem. At the very least he spoke in understandable, though accented Common.

Atem raised his hand lazily in greeting - may as well get this over with. “I accept you into my country with good graces. I look forward to seeing what you offer me.”

“Yes, yes, your highness.” The caravan owner said, and immediately launched into what was obviously a well-rehearsed monologue about his country’s bounty and the gifts he bore. Many expensive wares and luxuries were processed in front of Atem - yards of shimmering silks, gems and jewels and jewellry native to the Asiatics, barrels of dried rice and other spices.

At the very least, this time no native women or men were offered as slaves or concubines. Atem had been stern the last time those had been offered to him, though he accepted the people into his care.

“Have these gifts been to your liking, your highness?” The caravan owner paused in his tirade, somehow not even slightly breathless despite how rapidly he had been speaking.

Atem paused, rubbing a hand under his jaw - if only to see the little weasel sweat a little.

“Indeed. They have been most satisfactory.” He answered, hiding a smile at the weasel’s sigh of relief. He wasn’t particularly keen on silks himself, but he knew it was a valuable commodity.

The weasel seemed to collect a second wind, somehow more exuberant than before. “I am exceedingly glad! However, what I have offered you thus far shall be nothing compared to my most grand gift for you! A most rare creature, native to the lush, deep cloud forests of my homeland!

Atem just barely reigned in an eyeroll. Oh great. A pet. He hated receiving exotic pets.

The owner waved a hand, and two of his assistants immediately carried forward a large, domed shape hidden under a drape, propped on a pair of poles between them.

As soon as the shape was dropped beside the caravan owner, the weasel gripped the drape and pulled it back with a flourish.

Quite a few members of the court gasped - within the elaborate, wooden cage was a feathered form. The creature’s feathers were a shade of the deepest violet that the Pharaoh had ever seen, shimmering in blues and reds when it moved.

“My greatest gift to the wonderful Pharaoh is this - a harpy. They are exceedingly rare nowadays, and my men lucked out in capturing one for your elegance.”

The harpy in question blinked in the sudden brightness, eyes as vivid as its feathers. It kept itself tucked close together in a small ball. Its head, crowned in a brilliant starburst of violet and gold, barely peeked out from its wings as it examined the room and the people within in short sharp movements.

“Harpies are easy to care for - just ensure it has food, water, and clean bedding. It is historically a quite popular pet amongst the royalty and upper class of my country. It’ll sing for you from dawn until dusk! Some of the most beautiful singing on earth has been heard from a harpies’ throat.” The caravan owner gushed, seeming a bit too eager to sell his gift’s importance.

Atem hummed, and blinked when the harpy’s eyes flicked and locked onto his own suddenly. It seemed to be examining him with a blank expression on its face, but its crystalline eyes…

“Are they intelligent?” The Pharaoh said.

“They can be clever, but their intelligence is nothing much, your highness. They are happiest simply sitting in their cage and singing.” The caravan owner replied, a hand gripping at the wooden bars of the cage.

Atem didn’t miss how the harpy bristled ever so barely, feathers shifting. Interesting.

Their gaze was suddenly broken when the weasel reached into the cage and took hold of one of the harpy’s wings, prying it from its side and tugging it through the bars. The harpy in turn bristled immediately and baulked, attempting to resist the rough treatment but unable to do much but flap distressedly in its tight confines.

“Also, you needn’t ever worry about your pet escaping. As long as you keep their wings trimmed, they cannot fly! They are clipped now, so you needn’t worry until the harpy moults and regrows its feathers.” The weasel said, seemingly oblivious the the growing panic of the harpy as its wing was forced open stiffly, the snipped flight feathers clearly displayed.

“How could it escape if its cage is locked?” Atem said, and the weasel’s smile cracked a bit.

“It shouldn’t! A harpy isn’t smart enough to know how to unlock its own cage - but in the slim possibility of the door being left open while the cage is cleaned, for example. A simple mistake, it has happened to the best in the past.”

Atem hummed, tipping his head in acceptance. The weasel took this as a positive sign and let go of the harpy’s wing, which immediately snatched it tight to its body. It shot an offended glare at the weasel’s back before its face went blank once more, the mask forced over its features.

“I would like to hear it sing.” The Pharaoh stated, reclining more into his throne, and he raised an eyebrow slightly when he noted how a light bead of sweat broke out on the weasel’s brow.

“A-ah, yes, your highness. Of course.” he said with a slight tremble in his voice. He turned to the cage, peering in through the slats. “Harpy, sing something sweet for the Great Pharaoh. Come on, now.”

The harpy blatantly ignored the fake sweet tone of the caravan owner’s voice, and instead turned around in the cage, showing its back to the owner and the Pharaoh.

Atem thought he heard one of his Council chuckle.

“Harpy, I  _ order  _ you to  _ sing _ something.” The weasel hissed, face pressed against the bars. The harpy continued ignoring the caravan owner, even when he rattled the cage around it.

“That is enough.” The Pharaoh said, and the weasel visibly winced.   
“P-please forgive me, your highness. The long trip must have - must have tired the harpy out. That is why it is not singing.” He said, wringing his sharp hands together under the scrutinous gaze of the Pharaoh as sweat shimmered on his forehead.

“Very well. I accept your tokens.” The Pharaoh said, and the caravan owner bowed deeply  and repeatedly in front of him. “Have the riches and fabrics sorted and counted - the harpy sent to the menagerie.”

At the dismissive wave, two of Atem’s own servants came forward and lifted the cage by the poles. As it was carried past Atem, he didn’t miss how the harpies eyes followed him over its shoulder until they were around the corner and out of sight.

“Your Highness, now that the pleasantries have been exchanged, I humbly ask that you consider extending your trade agreements with our country…” The weasel’s high little voice caught Atem’s attention once again, and he could only sigh and turn back to his responsibilities.

 

* * *

 

 

“You accepted those gifts quite easily, Atem.” Set’s voice floated up from behind him, and Atem slowed his pace as his High Priest padded up quietly beside him.

“Mmh.” Atem merely hummed. But Set pressed a little deeper, as he always did.

“The harpy especially - you’re not usually one for pets. Did something about it please your eye?” Set questioned, and Atem let a small, rumbling sigh come up through his chest.

“I do not need to explain myself, do I?” he said quietly, and Set merely tipped his head in acceptance.

“As Pharaoh, I guess you do not.” he said, and Atem was pleased when the conversation lapsed into silence.

Not for long however, as an attendant caught up to them and bowed deeply, leaflets tucked close to their chest.

“My Pharaoh. All of the goods received from the Asiatic caravan has been catalogued and stored, and your pet has been settled into a empty room in the Harem wing.” They rattled off, and Atem raised a hand dismissively. They bowed once more and ran off, to deliver the catalogs to the library no doubt.

“I was wondering where you put the creature. I was not aware you had a menagerie.” Set spoke, and Atem couldn’t keep the small smile from slipping on his face.

“That is because I do not have one. But other people don’t need to know that. I have to play the part of the opulent and extravagant Pharaoh, do I not? And what leader of a kingdom doesn’t have a collection of exotic animals along with exotic concubines?” He said, and Set actually chuckled.

“You, apparently. I still remember the glare you gave the Europic ambassador when he offered you some women from his own collection. It was purely thunderous.”

“Those women were obviously not there of their own volition. Half of the women he had weren’t even native to his own land.” Atem scowled. “I may have some consorts, but they are all willing and from valuable alliances. They have as much power themselves as half of the nobles in my court. If only more kingdoms out there valued women as much as our kind do.”

Set nodded, his hands clasped behind his back. It was nothing new to him, knowing Atem was merely venting.

With a sigh, Atem rubbed his face roughly, his tail twitching agitatedly. No need to get wound up over trivial matters.

“Did you only seek me to pester me about women and pets?” he asked, and Set scoffed.

“Hardly. I came to remind you of tomorrow’s court session. You are to judge some criminals that have been brought in from prisons at the western edges of the kingdom. A few of them have family members that travelled with them to beg for their pardons - seems quite the scandal happened and more than a few men are claiming to be wrongfully accused.”

Atem closed his eyes and hissed out a breath. It was sounding like tomorrow was shaping up to be quite the stressful day, and this one was only just ending.

“Thank you, Set. I ask for your guidance and council tomorrow at my side along with the rest of my High Priests. I do believe I shall need it.” He said, and Set bowed lightly with one hand across his stomach.

“As you wish, my Pharaoh.”

  
  


* * *

 

  
  


A stressful day indeed. Atem dragged himself down the hall, his steps sluggish and heavy.

The court day had proved to be emotionally charged and distressing - family members of the accused had indeed pleaded innocence for their loved ones, and with only shards of the whole story it had proved to be difficult to settle on what was the truth, even with his High Priests consultation. After a headache had started to build behind his eyes he was forced to call it a day, with the final verdict to be handed out late tomorrow.

Days like this were the ones he hated the most, Atem grumbled to himself as he padded down the halls leading to the Harem court. He was in dire need of some relaxation.

Upon parting the curtains to the main gathering room for the harem court, he was surprised to note - it was almost empty. The only women in the room were lounging on pillows to the edge of the room, one of them skilfully handling needle and fabric.

“My Pharaoh!” The younger of the two sprung up and loped over, pressing herself along Atem’s sides in gleeful greeting before curling around for a brief hug.

“Sari. I take it you are well?” He said, draping an arm loosely around her waist.

“Yes! Things have been going well - Marun is trying to teach me some needlework, but I keep pricking myself.” She pouted, beaded hair clacking about her chin. Atem couldn’t help but smile at her.

“Don’t be too hard on her, Marun. She needs those fingers for more than needlework.” He said, earning a giggle out of the woman at his hip.

“And you don’t be too soft on her. This is one of many essential skills a woman is to learn - just because she’s excellent at hunting doesn’t mean she can get away with skipping her lessons.” the older women tutted, putting down her work as she smiled up at Atem. Sari stuck her tongue out at her.

“Yes, yes. Speaking of hunting - is that where everyone is?” Atem asked, Sari slipping away from his side to flop with a huff back at Marun’s side, Atem following suit.

“Partially, yes. Teala has lead the hunt for today, they’re scouting out the north-eastern savannah to track where the herds are heading for the season, they should be back in a few days. Those who didn’t go are gawking at your new pet.” She said, rolling her eyes good naturedly.

“The harpy?”

“He’s so cute!!!” Sari squealed, gasping when she accidentally jabbed her thumb with her own needle. “But he’s so shy, we can hardly get him to eat the fruit we bring him. Are we that scary?”

Atem pressed a knuckle to his chin, fake pondering. “Hmm, let me think. A gaggle of twittering women twice its size staring at it through a wooden cage. I’d say it’s rightfully terrified.” He scolded lightly, and Sari wilted a little.

“You have to see it from its view - suddenly its in a strange place with strange, loud people. You were frightened too when you first arrived under my care.” Atem reminded her gently, eyes soft. The tawny lioness pouted.

“Only because you kept glaring at me like I personally offended you.” She quirked, and Atem mock gasped as Marun burst out laughing.

“You dare! This is my default expression, I cannot help being naturally brooding.” He grinned, and Sari joined in the giggling. “But on another note - how do you figure the harpy is male? You didn’t go poking in places you shouldn’t, did you?”

“Judging by the fact he doesn’t have a pair of these, we figured it was a safe assumption.” Marun said, gesturing to her ample breasts that weren’t hardly covered by the gauzy fabric that was draped about her shoulders.

Atem hmphed a little in amusement. “Indeed.”

He gave a sigh before heaving back to his feet. “I guess it’d be in my best interest to go check on the harpy then, see if it needs rescuing, and to escort the others back here. I’ve had a long day, and I could use some companionship.” He said, waving his hand lightly at the two lionesses before disappearing down the hallway.

Atem didn’t have any real idea where the harpy was being kept, but he figured he found the room when a handful of moments later he came across an empty door - only it wasn’t completely empty, judging by the rear ends of three different lionesses sticking out of it.

He padded up silently behind them, listening in on their conversation. They seemed to be cooing at someone inside the room, one of them with a large bowl of fruit cupped in her hands.

“I can’t believe he hasn’t even tried the grapes! These are a luxury!” one of them pouted, her arms crossed.

“Just because they’re your favourites doesn’t mean they are everyone's.” Another woman said, shaking her head.

Atem cleared his throat behind them.

He was rewarded with shrieks and a three way leap into the air, one lioness practically sitting on another in surprise.

“Ladies.” Atem tilted his head at them amusedly, as with varying degrees of offendedness they untangled themselves from each other.

“That wasn’t very nice!!” The darkest one frowned, her hair pulled back into multiple braids.

“My apologies, I couldn’t resist.” Atem smiled, leaning down to offer his hands to the lionesses and helping them back on their feet. The women chuffed and teased him in their friendly manners, the one gathering back up the fruit she spilled out of her bowl.

“Now, I was told that there was a certain feathered pet in need of rescue from some ravenous cats, where is he?” Atem asked, looking around the room without really searching.

One of the lionesses slapped him on the flank affectionately. “Ravenous, hah! We’ve been trying to get him to eat something all day, but he’s not so much as given us a glance. I’ve brought him one of every kind of fruit from the kitchen, and he won’t even try a bite.” She huffed, gesturing to a corner of the room.

Tucked away was the wooden cage, filled with fresh straw and surrounded by platters of fruit. Deeper in the cage was the harpy, balled up as before aside from the brilliantly burning eyes that stared out at them through the feathers.

Amused, Atem walked forward, noting the harpy’s eyes honed in on him and kept sharp, watching and wary of his every movement.

“Has it eaten anything since it got here?” Atem asked, unable to break the eye contact they shared.

“Not that we’ve seen. He’s at least been drinking water.” one of the women spoke behind him, but he was too entranced to really pay attention to who said it. Careful of the food laid out, Atem padded closer, a hand reaching out to touch one of the bars.

The harpy bristled lighty, but otherwise didn’t make any other movements.

Eventually Atem sighed, interest in the feathered creature waning when it failed to do anything eye catching. “Hopefully it’ll get hungry enough to eat soon. Not much we can do otherwise.” He shrugged a shoulder carelessly as he pulled away.

Walking back to the lionesses to lead them back to the main room, he took one last glance at the harpy out of the corner of his eye.

The creature was still watching him.

 

* * *

 

 

The light of his oil lamps flickered in the night breeze that rolled through his open balcony. Atem let out a deep, chest rumbling groan as he rubbed his face.

Once again, he just couldn’t get to sleep. He’d tried everything short of sleeping draughts. Those were a dire last resort. Even his old, dry texts left about from his long past schooling under his mentor and High Priest, Mahad, failed to make him drowsy. Those used to knock him right out when he was a adolescent.

Atem slumped to the floor and rolled on his back, stretching his limbs out and shivering from the tired exertion. Maybe he just needed to exhaust himself physically. That might bring his head along with it, if he was successful.

Mind running on autopilot, Atem crawled out of bed and padded silently out of his living quarters, giving a tired salute to the guards standing on alert. No need for an escort - it was merely another one of his sleepless nights.

As he walked, his paws carrying him wherever they pleased, his thoughts buzzed noisily about the past week.

The judicial meeting that had caused him such stress not days before had only gotten worse when more evidence was brought to light - not only were the men that had been brought before him truly innocent, but framed. Framed for something truly damning - supplies to the western settlements had been slowly but surely sabotaged over the past month, weakening defences on the border.

The men accused had been immediately released and given royal pardon, but for their own safety they and their families had to have been relocated to the main city, something that wasn’t easy to do on such short notice, and quietly.

But aside from the meager knowledge they had brought up, nothing else had been uncovered pertaining to who was actually behind the sabotage. It was giving Atem and his entire High Court a headache, trying to dig up information without revealing their intent and spooking off the culprits.

Hand once again massaging his forehead, Atem let out a silent sigh and opened his eyes.

His paws had led him down an adjacent wing of the Harem court, not too far off from the main gathering room but a decent ways away.

However, it was particularly far for one small harpy that was currently sneaking about loose, and most definitely  _ not _ in its cage where it was supposed to be.

Atem froze, torn between shock and utter amusement. How on earth - had the cage been left unlocked? If so, he’d have to reprimand whoever had been careless enough to let this slip, he had been very clear on the caretaking of this creature.

The harpy seemed to have not noticed him, facing away from him with its clawed feet clacking lightly on the stone as it crept down the moonlit hallway. It stood upright on two legs, wings held tight to its body as if it was trying to keep itself as slim of a target as possible.  It was spindly, the small amount of skin that showed through the feathers pale. Its movement was jerky yet still somehow graceful in its awkwardness, an odd combination that was interesting to watch.

Atem watched the creature, himself stock still and hidden in the darkness between pillars. It didn’t seem to have any clear goal in its creeping about, more just… exploring. Searching? Instead of escaping.

The harpy turned its head, and Atem got a breathtaking view of the creature’s profile lit in moonlight.

He must have made the smallest gasp, for suddenly the harpy turned and looked directly at him, eyes wide in fear.

At first Atem was sure that there was no way the harpy could have seen him, hidden in the shadows as he was. Even another lion would have had a hard time spotting him. But as the creature suddenly darted surprisingly fast around the nearest corner and away from him, he remembered -  his reflective eyes. There was no way his eyes hadn’t given him away.

With a small huff he took off after the harpy, gathering speed easily in long, quiet strides. As he rounded the corner, he caught a glimpse of the harpy scampering out and down the adjacent hallway. How was it so fast?! It only had two legs!

The harpy all but flew down the empty halls, their chase silent aside from their light footfalls. Each time Atem thought he had caught up with the creature, he was rewarded by the sight of its feathers just before it disappeared once more.

The harpy seems to have quite the knowledge of the layout of his palace, Atem rued. It didn’t appear to be a one-time escape any more, particularly when the chase led them back around the long way to the main entrance of the Harem court.

Starting to get a little winded, not used to extended high-speed chases, Atem caught a final glimpse of the harpy as it darted into one of the open rooms - the room with its own cage. 

Slowing down and catching his breath, a sound echoed out in the otherwise silence.

The very distinct, and clear latching of a lock.

Was he not already wheezing for breath, Atem would have laughed. Gods be damned - the harpy knew how to pick the lock on its cage! There was no other alternative, specially when Atem peeked his head into the doorway, and there the harpy was - balled up in the far corner of its cage as usual, as if nothing out of sort.

Atem sighed, a small chuckle worming its way out of him.

Not much he could do now, really. Wake up someone to make a fuss over a misbehaving pet? It seemed to at least know where it was supposed to be, at least.

Arms crossed, he shook his head and turned away. Honestly… he was intrigued. Picking a lock was quite the skill for a so called ‘simple’ creature. How long had this been going on, the harpy wandering about as it pleased undetected? Why had it not simply flown the coop, in so many words?

Atem rubbed his chin. Looks like he had some changes to make in the morning.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Five main kingdoms/countries - Khemetic (desert, savannah - mostly quadrapeds) Asiatic (mountains, rainforests - mostly bipedals) Europic (mountains, forests - mixture) Americ (plains, mountains - mixture) Tundric (tundra, plains - mixture, mostly quadrapeds)
> 
> \---------------------------
> 
> Thank you very much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please feel free to leave comments, even if I don't reply on this site - I read and love every single one! If you'd like a reply from me, please send an ask to my tumblr!


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